Looks like BT are dumping their Videophone 1000 model.  Currently showing with over 70% Off in their on-line store - Was £149.99 Now £39.98 .  Should be worth a punt even if you don't use the video capabilities...

The Bargain Police have been in touch and given us a tip-off about this awesome PC Server deal. The £139.99 + VAT HP ProLiant ML110 G4 is a Tower with Dual-Core Xeon 3040 @ 1.86 GHz and comes complete with 512 MB RAM (expandable to 8GB ), a 160 GB hard drive, CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo and Gigabit Ethernet...

We often hear that one of the great advantages of IP over PSTN is the increased speed of alarm signal transmission. Whilst this is partly true, alarm installers need to understand the different stages of an alarm signal transaction in order to take full advantage of this available speed.

Typically, from the time an alarm panel is activated, it takes approximately 10-15 seconds to dial the telephone number and send a DTMF or FSK signal over a PSTN line. When an IP dialer capture device is used, it listens for the telephone digits, ignores them, plays a handshake, takes the signal, plays a kiss-off and then transmits the signal over IP. Even though the actual transmission over IP might take only a couple of hundred milliseconds, the whole process takes approximately the same time as it does over PSTN. So where is the speed advantage in using IP...?

So all eyes swing from last weeks CES show to MacWorld and possibly the most anticipated keynote of the year for tech heads.  Steve Jobs presented the iPhone to the world last year, so what toys does Apple have for us all this year.  Well, lots to interest the smart home enthusiast - Time Capsule, software updates for iPhone and iPod Touch, Movie Rentals for iTunes, new Apple TV UI and features, oh, and MacBook Air, the worlds thinest laptop.  For all the details you need read on...

This years Smart Home Show will once more be held at the NEC in Birmingham.  Practical demonstrations, advice clinics and a daily programme of free specialist seminars are all promised. New this year is the Smart Home ‘Spotlight’ feature area where you can get free impartial advice from industry experts on a one-to-one basis so why not bring your house plans along and discuss the best options for your smart homes.  The show will run from Thursday 10th April to Sunday 13th and is part of The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show.  Read on for the official press release...

OK, it's not strickly our thing to cover new computer launches, but this is too good to pass up.  Apple took down their on-line store a few hours ago to apply the updates for the newly announced Xserve (1U rack-mount server) and to introduce the 8 core Mac Pro range....

It's a sad day for Pandora users in the UK.  In another victory for stupidity, the powers that be just couldn't come to an agreement with Pandora on a sensible royalty rate for the UK.  So, what happens?  People that are happy to pay for their music may be forced into seeking other "channels" to obtain it.  Here's the email from Pandora that several people on our mailing list have just received [Thanks Tim H]...

There have been some very interesting Insteon devices appearing over the last year.  It's backwards compatibility with X10 is a great selling point for those that already have invested in an X10 setup.  So We asked Insteon if they could confirm if they are coming to the UK and Europe.  Here's the word form the horses mouth... 

More good news on the UK Z-Wave front.  We've been contacted by Hawking Technology with information on the UK launch of their "Home Remote" Z-Wave solution.  Here's a quote from Hawking's Sales Manager Europe, Samy Moustafa... 

Huge news! By the end of 2008 "X" will be available and built into almost every electrical device!  Your home cinema AV amplifier will come with X.  It will ramp down the volume when the doorbell or phone rings, and its on-screen display will superimpose the phone callers details or live video from the front door X enabled wireless CCTV camera.  Of course every new display device you buy from now on will have the same abilities built in.  So whether you are near the digital photo frame in the kitchen, or the new flat screen TV in the bedroom, you'll see the same information instantly displayed...